For other products, purchasing policies are increasingly
affected by technology. Production determines its requirements
with regard to the purchase of capital goods and spare parts,
and purchasing tries to meet these requirements as well as it can.
However, purchasing regularly finds (cheaper or better)
alternatives, and production can't very well refuse to look at these
alternatives! Sometimes the purchasing department has to deal
with monopolists who require a specific approach during the
negotiations. Purchasing must be able to deal with these matters,
must be able to continuously judge its own position, and must,
above all, avoid frustrations.